Felipe Baloy possesses an enduring claim to fame as the man to score the first goal for at a FIFA World Cup™. “It was epic and a moment we’ll all remember forever,” Baloy said when he sat down with FIFA. The former centre-half recalled his accomplishment with a beaming smile on his face, because he knows that his groundbreaking effort against England in 2018 will stay with him for the rest of his life.
The Central Americans are poised to return to the global stage at the in Canada, Mexico and the United States, and fate has dished up a reunion with in their third and final group match. This will be the second World Cup campaign in the country’s history, following their debut in the competition eight years ago.
“The feat of securing World Cup qualification for the first time was a hugely significant event for the entire country and is something that none of us will ever forget,” Baloy explained. “It was such an emotional moment and it made me so happy. People were shouting, laughing and crying. Everyone was elated: the players, our families and the country as a whole. It’s impossible to describe. It was hard to believe it was actually happening. It was like a dream.” FIFA’s flagship men’s competition had seemed beyond reach for the centre-back both as a player and as a fan, but Los Canaleros had finally sealed safe passage through the treacherous waters of Concacaf qualifying.
Baloy did not feature in Panama’s momentous World Cup debut, which ended in a 3-0 defeat to Belgium courtesy of a Romelu Lukaku brace and a stunning Dries Mertens volley.
He was also on the bench for their second game against England but he came on in the 69th minute with his team trailing 6-0 to a Harry Kane hat-trick, a John Stones double and a Jesse Lingard screamer. Nine minutes later, he made his mark – and not at the end where he expected to.
“I never thought I’d score,” admitted the 45-year-old, who captained the team for over a decade. “Never. All I was thinking about was getting some time on the pitch at a World Cup. I just wanted to help the team avoid shipping any more goals. In fact, I wasn’t even going to go up for the free kick that led to my goal, in case we gave the ball away and they hit us on the counter, but I ended up taking the risk and going up.”
That gamble paid rich dividends as Ricardo Avila whipped in a wicked delivery and Baloy slid in with an outstretched right foot to half-volley the ball past a helpless Jordan Pickford and unleash euphoria among the Panamanian fans.
“It was a slightly strange feeling. I felt sad to begin with, because we were 6-1 down, but then I turned around and all my team-mates were smiling and coming over to hug me,” he said. “I also saw the people in the stands, my family. Everyone was ecstatic. That’s when I realised that it was and will remain an important goal in the history of our country. It was such a joyful and emotional moment and one we’ll never forget.”
Not only was the strike a milestone for the Central American nation, but it also placed Baloy – who entered the fray that afternoon at the age of 37 years and 120 days – among the oldest goalscorers of all time at the World Cup. Roger Milla (42 years and 39 days) is the runaway leader of those particular standings, followed by Portugal pair Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo, Sweden’s Gunnar Gren and Cuauhtémoc Blanco of Mexico, with the Panamanian sitting just outside the top five.
“In Panama, people stop me on the street to talk to me about that goal. Some people introduce me to their kids by saying ‘Look, this is Felipe Baloy, the player who scored our first-ever World Cup goal,’” he explained proudly. At home, he still has the shirt – duly framed – and the boots that he wore in that game as keepsakes.
The game with England turned out to be the last of the 103 matches that the Panama City-born powerhouse would play for his country. Shortly after the tournament, the long-serving defender called time on a much-travelled career in which he turned out for clubs in Colombia, Brazil, Mexico and Guatemala, as well as in his homeland. Having moved into coaching, he is currently in charge of the Panama U-17 national team.
Baloy will be heading north to this year’s extravaganza as just another fan of Panama and he is bullish about their prospects of making waves. “I think we’ve got an organised and experienced team, with players who are playing in top leagues and performing at a high level,” he said. “This side can go there and compete and have every chance of earning Panama’s first World Cup victory.”
Sources: FIFA Official
